A move in the right direction

TDT |Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The decision to provide Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines free of cost to all Bahraini citizens and residents was received with great applause by top officials, parliamentarians citizens and residents from all over the Kingdom hailing it as a move in the right direction.

HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister announced the decision to provide vaccines free of charge in a statement post the Government Executive Committee meeting late Friday.

The vaccination, for all over 18 years of age through 27 medical centres, will start with 5,000 people per day at first, and 10,000 per day at a later stage. Parliamentarians hailing the decision said the move reflects the great strides Bahrain made in the field of human rights and freedom. 

MP Bassem Al-Maliki said the decision shows the great concern Bahrain attaches in protecting the health of its citizens and residents. “Free vaccine indicates the humanitarian approach the Kingdom follows and the strength of its health security policies,” said Al Maliki. He pointed out that the directive confirms that Bahrain is continuing its fight against the deadly pandemic without any discrimination. Bahrain team, Al Maliki said, led by HRH Prince Salman has succeeded in containing the pandemic and its repercussion at all levels by providing seamless support to people here. “Free vaccination will help restore the life to its normality and contribute to the economic and financial strength of the Kingdom,” he stressed.  

MP Hamad Ahmed Al Kooheji viewed the directive to provide free vaccination as the feature of Bahrain’s humanitarian approach that takes into account all without discrimination. Bahrain, Al Kooheji said, has made tremendous and exemplary efforts to confront the pandemic and its repercussion on the economy, thanks to the guidance and continuous follow up of HRH Prince Salman. Al Kooheji said the move would help Bahrain regain its economic strength and push life back to normality. 

MP Ghazi Al-Rahma, a member of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs, Defense and National Security Committee, described the move as a culmination of the extraordinary efforts Bahrain exerted in the past few months in fighting the pandemic. Al Rahma praised the great strides made by the Bahrain team led by HRH Prince Salman in addressing the pandemic. The team, he said, was successful in reducing the spread of the outbreak and bringing down the infection to its lowest level. 

MP Ahmed Sabah Al-Salloum, Chairman of the Bahrain Association for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, hailed the move as a “rational approach” taken by HM the King. “Bahrain has presented a unique model in supporting entrepreneurs in the Kingdom and achieved the highest possible level of human rights principles.” Bahrain, he said, has set a model for human rights during the Coronavirus outbreak and presented an image of equality in its best form without any discrimination. 

Member of the Specific Committee for Human Rights, MP Khaled Bouanq said the move proves that people of Bahrain are the leadership’s prime concern. “This is also not surprising as His Majesty the King and HRH the Crown Prince are always there at the forefront when it comes to protecting the health of the citizens,” he added.